


Keep Moving

by psych0pd



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-02-24 01:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13202367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psych0pd/pseuds/psych0pd
Summary: With The Hunger ravaging the world as they know it, a group of seemingly separate, but truly interconnected people work together to bring themselves back to humanity as best they can.





	1. The Soldier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus meets new friends.

  If he had been there when the outbreak had begun, he could have saved her. Magnus looked down at his hands, covered in dried blood and dirt, his wedding ring glinting on his finger. He slid it off his hand to examine it in the firelight. It was worn from the years, and there were scuff marks all over it, but it was still silver and shiny. If he had been there when the outbreak had begun, he could have saved her. Johann whined in his sleep as Magnus sat, deep in thought. Magnus hadn’t taken his wedding ring off for more than 20 minutes in ages. He looked back down at his hand.

  There was a thin, pale ring of skin on his ring finger where the band usually rested. If he had been there when the outbreak had begun, he could have saved her. To his immediate left lay the ring that matched his, perfectly. It was smaller- more pristine. Julia’s ring. He had found her, wandering the street outside their home, eyes glassed over with the Hunger. He hadn’t had the strength to kill her. Not her. He’d cleared the street of every other lifeless monster- his neighbors, even the kids, because no one should have to live like that- but she was different. Magnus couldn’t kill his wife.  
   
Instead, he had subdued her, pinning her under an old tire as she snapped at him, trying so desperately to kill him- to consume him and quell her Hunger. He looked into her eyes, silently begging her to recognize him and snap out of it, needing her to come back to him. For a moment, he really thought she would. That somehow, their love would save her from the endless void she had been taken by. He looked into her eyes for a long time, but he found no footing. Julia was gone.

  “Jules, please, you have to be in there somewhere,” he had pleaded. Her head had snapped to face him then, and Magnus’ heart skipped a beat. A wicked looking grin- if you could call it that- crept onto her face and she snapped again, all semblance of humanity disappeared.  
   
  A tear cascaded down his face as Magnus put his wedding ring back on his finger. He reached up and tugged the chain around his neck over his head, dog tags clinking together. Johann lifted his head a little, ears perking up at the sound. Magnus smiled, scratching his dog’s head.  
“Go back to sleep, buddy,” he mumbled. Johann appeared to understand and lowered his head. More quietly now, so as not to disturb his sleeping canine, Magnus opened the chain’s clasp and threaded it through Julia’s ring. He gripped the tags and ring together in his fist as he returned the necklace around his neck and tucked it beneath his shirt.  
  
  It had been a long time since Magnus had been able to sleep. Johann could keep watch for him, but there was no amount of therapy that could ever get the image of his wife as one of those things out of his nightmares. The sun was just starting to come up over the horizon, turning the sky pink and orange. Johann rolled over in his sleep, moving slightly closer to the dying fire. Magnus stood, shaking the sleep from his aching bones, and began to pack up his bedroll and extra gun. He stuffed the bedroll into his army-issue backpack and gathered the rest of his belongings- a couple of camping supplies, Johann’s food and bowl, and his grandfather’s knife. The sun was climbing higher and higher, and Magnus had to squint a little.  
  
  He stood, surveying the area around him. The ground was dry and beige, with small tufts of green grass sprinkled across the landscape. Magnus had set up camp outside of Dripping Springs, Texas. His car had run out of gas, however, and the town, though it was small, was crowded with a few thousand hungry undead. As the sun settled a little in the sky, Magnus leaned over and gently shook his dog. Johann immediately sat up, tail wagging, and mouth open in an easy smile. His service vest was dusty, and Magnus brushed it off with his hand. Magnus straightened and clipped his backpack straps together across his chest.  
“Alright, boy,” he said to Johann, looking down at him. “Let’s get a move on.”

-

  Magnus and Johann walked for 8 hours, stopping only as needed to rest and eat. Sleep was still evading Magnus that night, however, and his usually spry pace had slowed to a near crawl. Johann sensed his master’s discomfort and would stay up through the night in an attempt to help calm him. Both of them were exhausted, now, as they neared the sprawling metropolis that was Austin. While it might not be the wisest place to be with the number of people that had likely been overtaken by the Hunger, the prospect of the company of other living people was certainly appealing to the very lonely Magnus Burnsides.  
   
  The city was much more quiet than it usually would’ve been, which put Magnus on edge. His mind raced with the possibilities as he crept through the town with Johann at his side. Every so often, a few Hungry stragglers would stumble into Magnus’ line of sight, and he would duck down and scurry to the nearest cover to stay away from them. They didn’t seem to care for animals, but Johann still tensed as the undead moved closer.  
There was a sudden loud noise- a crash of some sort- and the few shambling beings swirled around to look for the source of the noise. In seconds, all of them began running- if one could call it that- towards the sound. Magnus straightened a little, checking behind him to make sure he wouldn’t be seen by any other monsters. With the area seemingly clear, he stood up fully, making his way deeper into the city, now. There was a great cloud of sound up ahead, and Magnus was wary of what might await him.

  He walked along the street, still sticking as much as he could to the shadows, when a squealing machine came around the corner. It took him a moment, but as he watched it, Magnus realized it was a giant RV. There was a small man with a red goatee driving the massive vehicle. His eyes landed on Magnus as he barreled down the street, and he slammed the brakes. He rolled the window down.

  “Are you bitten?” he yelled. Magnus shook his head. “No, I’m not!” The man’s eyes darted around nervously. His voice was higher pitched, but gruff nonetheless.  
“Get in. I have to be somewhere. Get. In.” Magnus hesitated, but crossed to the other side of the street where the RV had ended up. The small man opened the door. Magnus ushered Johann inside, following close behind. The man sat back down in the driver’s seat of the RV- on top of a phone book, Magnus noticed upon inspection- and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal.

  “I’m Davenport,” he said, eyes forward to the road. “Magnus Burnsides, sir,” Magnus replied. “And this is Johann,” he added, gesturing to the dog. Davenport raised an eyebrow. “Sir? What’s with the formalities, kid?” he asked. Magnus chuckled and looked at the floor. “You military?” said Davenport. Magnus nodded. “Yes sir. Just got back from a tour last weekend.”

  Davenport looked shocked for a moment. “Last weekend? Kid, this shit started a month and a half ago,” he said, looking grim. “Is it like this wherever you were?” Magnus sighed. “No, sir- it was… as normal as it could be for Iraq.” Davenport shook his head. “Well, I’m sorry this is what you came home to,” he began. “Did you have to-” he paused, looking unsure of how to string together his next set of words.  
“-leave anyone behind?” Magnus tensed, thinking once again about Julia’s expressionless face when he’d seen her last. He reached down to stroke Johann’s fur.

  “My… my wife. She’s… one of those things,” he said quietly. Davenport gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, his knuckles going pale, and he stammered for a moment. “I’m- kid, I- I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry.” Magnus shook his head. He was thinking about her beautiful face, trying hard not to picture the mindless, snapping, vicious creature Julia had become. Johann nosed closer to his master. Magnus closed his eyes, remembering her humming, dancing around their house. When he reopened his eyes, he realized that Davenport had started taking them closer to the airport.  
“So, Mr. Davenport-” the man held up his hand, just barely looking over his shoulder, back at Magnus. “Drop the ‘mister’ thing- it’s weird,” he commanded in his strangely gruff voice.

  “So, _Davenport_ ,” Magnus began again. “You said you had somewhere to be. Mind telling me where we’re going?” Davenport smiled. “My friend is waiting for me to come get her!” His voice was cheery now, less demanding. Magnus didn’t ask any more questions, and instead sank into the chair he’d sat in, leaning against the wall.  
The inside of the vehicle was nearly pristine- it was very obvious that someone liked things to be kept a certain way. Taped up on the walls, there were paintings of sea life- mostly glowing jellyfish that looked to be full of galaxies- and maps. Magnus closed his eyes again and tried to think about something other than Julia’s fate.

-

  Sooner than he expected, Davenport stopped the RV, drawing a large axe from behind his seat. The axe was nearly as tall as he himself, but that didn’t stop him from wielding it. The man’s arms were muscular; he was very obviously a craftsman of some sort.  
“You wait here. If anything tries to get in here, kill it. No exceptions.” Magnus nodded solemnly. Davenport set the axe by the door. “You sure you’re not bitten?” he asked, heading for the tiny bedroom at the very back of the vehicle. Magnus nodded. “Yes, sir. Clean as can be.”  
Davenport came back, moments later, with a shotgun. He held it out to Magnus. Magnus put his hands up in protest.  
“I’ve got guns- you take that one,” he said. Davenport smiled again. “Good for you, kid. Stay wary, okay? And don’t let anyone in without me here.” He hoisted the axe over his shoulder and yanked the door open. Magnus pulled his backpack around to his front and rummaged for a second before his fingers found his pistol. The door of the RV slammed shut, and once again, Magnus was alone.

  Davenport checked the lines of sight on either side of the RV. When he deemed it safe, he crouched and moved toward the hotel entrance before him. Lucretia had been alone most of the day, which was not something Davenport was really okay with, but she had insisted on checking the hotel for blank ledgers and supplies for the RV. Davenport kept low as he gently pulled the front door open. Inside, there were a few scattered corpses leading to the office behind the front desk. He heard rustling noises in said office and raised his axe a little, just in case the source of the noise was something less than friendly.  
He peered over the edge of the front counter, then straightened.  
   
  “Heya, Luce. Find anything good?”  
   
  A woman in a navy blue jacket turned around, eyes wide. Upon seeing her companion, she softened her expression, running a hand through her short white hair. “Hello, Davenport. I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting you yet,” she said cleanly. Davenport smiled. Lucretia looked around for a moment, then picked up a large box. “There were two ledgers in the desk- thank god they still did paper bookkeeping- and a ton of canned goods in the kitchen. I packed what I felt would be the most useful,” she said. Davenport rounded the corner of the desk and tilted the box’s lid open to peek inside. Lucretia looked at the floor.  
 

  “More new books?” Davenport said, teasingly. A sheepish grin crept across Lucretia’s face. “I… found them in the lobby library… It’s not too many- just a couple that I’ve never read before.” She sounded genuinely nervous that Davenport wouldn’t allow her to take them. Davenport replaced the lid on the box and lifted it, letting it sit against his chest. Lucretia, seeing the obvious discomfort this put her friend in, lifted the box from the bottom and started towards the door. Davenport chuckled, following close behind her.

  The door of the RV opened slowly, and an unfamiliar woman walked in, propping the door open with her back and carrying a large cardboard box. Davenport was right behind her, and he closed the door quietly behind them. Magnus stood to greet her. She looked incredibly nervous. “Oh, Luce.. I’m sorry, I didn’t mention. I picked him up near Barton Creek. He’s clean, though, don’t worry. Luce, meet Magnus. Magnus, this is Lucretia.”  
 

  Lucretia still looked extremely worried about the presence of a new person. She leaned down to whisper to Davenport. “Dav, you didn’t tell me about him- why didn’t you tell me about him? You should’ve told me about him.” She was rambling- Davenport took the box from her and set it down. He gave Magnus a look that the soldier took to mean “give us a minute”. Magnus sat back down, petting Johann again. He felt bad for upsetting this woman- she seemed like she would be very sweet. Davenport pulled Lucretia aside by the arm.  
  
  “I’m sorry, Lucy. I got caught up in other thoughts and I forgot to tell you. I’m sorry. He needs help, though. He lost his wife. He’s all alone, just like you were when I found you.” Lucretia’s expression softened. She shot a worried look at Magnus, giving him a weak smile. Magnus smiled warmly back at her. She seemed to be slightly less off-put after hearing Davenport talk.  
  
  She sat across the aisle of the RV from Magnus, opening the box at her feet and sticking her nose into a book from the depths of it. Magnus sighed softly. Davenport approached him slowly. He glanced over his shoulder at Lucretia, but she was already entrapped in the wrappings of the book she had picked up. “I’m sorry about that, kid,” he started. “She gets like that sometimes. We’ve been travelling together since all of this started, and-” his voice trailed off for a moment. Davenport was lost in thought for a moment. “Anyway, she has some issues getting used to people. She’ll warm up in no time, though, don’t worry.” Magnus nodded.  
“I understand. I don’t like new people much, myself.”  
  
  Davenport sighed. He turned around again without saying another word and lifted the box onto the counter slightly further down the aisle from Magnus. He began pulling the contents out to sort them. Lucretia slammed her book shut, looking distressed.  
  
  “I sort. You drive.”  
  
  Her tone was stern, but still had a vaguely joking lilt to it. Davenport rolled his eyes and took a step back. He put his hands up in submission to Lucretia’s will. She smirked and moved to the counter. Magnus watched as she unpacked the supplies she’d gathered at the hotel into neat piles. One pile for canned goods, one small tower of books, and two ledgers. She flipped one of the ledgers open, careful not to crack the spine too sharply. She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled a pen out. She made a tiny mark on the edge of the page to make sure the pen hadn’t dried, then began to write.  
  
  “Three cans of peas, four cans of green beans, one container of instant eggs…” she mumbled to herself as she wrote. Magnus leaned back, inviting Johann to come sit on the bench with him. His faithful dog obliged, joining him hastily. Davenport sat in the driver’s seat again, revving the engine. Lucretia continued to count out and tabulate all the things she’d picked up from the hotel. As they drove through the city, Lucretia finished noting the items and set the box down on the floor once again. She then sat back in her chair and reopened her book.  
  
  Magnus looked absentmindedly at the box. He stared into it for a few seconds before he realized what lay in the bottom of it- a mangled two-by-four that Lucretia had obviously deemed unfit to log. Magnus leaned across Johann’s body curled on the bench seat and grabbed the chunk of wood. Lucretia glared over the top of the book in her hands.  
  
  “You want this?” he asked. Lucretia blinked, shook her head, and continued reading. “What about you, Davenport?” The man looked over his shoulder for a moment to see what Magnus was talking about. He scoffed. “No thanks, kid. Have it,” he said dismissively. Magnus grinned a little and pulled his grandfather’s knife out of his front backpack pocket. Slowly, he began his work, happily whittling away at the damaged wood, glad to have something familiar in his life again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for your support! you can follow me on tumblr @psychopd or on twitter @calebtaliesin!


	2. Umbrella Tattoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merle and Taako make a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning:  
> -there is a somewhat graphic description of violence in this chapter

  When Merle Highchurch set foot in The Shooting Star, he did not get what he had expected. What he had expected was yet another ransacked building, maybe with a few undead shuffling about inside.

  What he got was a nearly pristine dining room and a very nervous young man brandishing a very sharp kitchen knife in his direction.

  “Who the fuck are you, and what do you want?” the man said, his voice breaking. He had his sleeves pushed up above his elbows, and his long blonde hair was pulled back in a loose braid that looked like it was falling apart with each passing moment. Merle raised his hands, showing he was unarmed.

  “Easy, bud, I’m not looking for trouble,” he started, planting his feet. He couldn’t risk making this man any more angry than he currently appeared to be. The man raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. “Well, my dude, if you’re not looking for trouble, why are you in my restaurant?” Merle looked around for a moment. The man with the knife looked far too young to be the owner of a restaurant, but he chose not to question it.

  “I was honestly going to try and get some supplies, but if you’re here and you don’t want to help an old man out, I get it. This is your territory. I’ll just be on my way,” Merle conceded. He backed up a few steps before turning and reaching for the door. He had pulled it halfway open when the man behind him croaked: “Wait… Are you… Alone?” Merle turned again. He nodded. The man squinted a little and lowered the knife a little. Merle faced him fully, now. “Are you sticking around here? Around Georgetown, I mean,” he said. Merle shrugged.

  “I’m going with the flow, right now. I don’t have any family to go home to,” he replied nonchalantly. The man walked around the counter, knife still held aloft, but less forcefully pointing in Merle’s direction. “I’m Merle. What’s your name?” Merle asked, trying to win the man over. “It’s Taako,” he said, as sharp as the blade of his knife. He seemed too on edge to trust Merle, but that was okay with the professor. Taako was pacing a little, deep in thought. “What’s on your mind, bud?” Merle said. Taako couldn’t tell if the concern in his voice was genuine or not, and he did not like that. He did not trust this man. But he had to get to Austin. He had to get to his sister.

  “C’mon, Taako, let me help you. I’m a very good listener,” Merle continued. Taako held up a hand, shushing him. “I’m not in a talking mood, my man. Let me think.” Merle sighed and sauntered over to a chair. He sank into it, and as he did, he felt his bones crack in a few more places than he’d like to admit. Taako continued pacing. He held his hand to his mouth, chewing his lip behind it, and trying to decide if he could pretend to trust this man long enough to get to Austin. He looked at Merle again and again. Each time, he was struck by how calm the old man was. He didn’t seem to be bothered at all by the impending apocalypse outside. Taako began absently tugging at his ear, brow still furrowed. “Okay, old man- listen up. I need to get to Austin. I’m no good at fighting, so I need someone to come with me. Are you down?” Merle chuckled. “I’m no fighter, either, but I have decent maneuvering skills- I’m sure I could help keep us out of sight of those Hungry bastards out there.” Taako frowned. He had hoped that Merle might have a gun or something, because, all Taako had was a few sets of knives, and he preferred not to get within knifing range of the undead. He sighed.

  “I suppose that’ll do,” he said. He crossed to the nearest window, peeking out through the curtain. “Fuck,” he mumbled under his breath. The sun was already too low in the sky for them to start the trip to Austin that would certainly take them a whole day on foot. Merle tilted his head to the side. “Everything okay, Taako?” he asked. There was that strange half-concerned tone again. “We should stay the night here,” Taako said, reluctance tinging his voice. Merle stood, making Taako flinch away. “Don’t get too close, kemosabe- I do not trust you one bit.” Merle shook his head, wondering what it would be like to have that much distrust in his mind. In fact, Merle Highchurch couldn’t fathom that feeling. However, being a (relatively) wise man, he knew not to question it. If Taako wanted to stay a couple of arms’ lengths away, he was more than welcome. Taako darted back around the counter and sat on his sleeping bag. He’d raided a an L.L. Bean a few days after the “stupid fucking apocalypse”- as he so delicately called it- had started, because Taako was not the kind of man that was okay with sleeping on the cold tile floor. “You go to sleep. I’ll keep watch,” Taako ordered. Merle obliged, understanding that he wasn’t going to get anywhere with this man if he tried to push him, and rested in the chair with his head in his arms.

-

  Taako was running now, trying to get as far from the wall of bodies as he could. At the forefront of the body wall was Lup, phantasmal, but not her usual, resplendent self. He kept looking over his shoulder at her, nearly tripping a few times when he did. _That isn’t Lup anymore_ , he thought over and over. The words echoed in his head as he fled from the legion of Hungry undead. _That isn’t Lup anymore_ , he kept saying.

 _Keep going, Taako. Keep moving._ Eventually, his lungs burning, he tripped over his own feet. Taako collapsed on the ground. _Get up, idiot. You did gymnastics for years, you can get up._ The hoarde was close now, and Taako could hear Lup’s mangled, garbled voice. They were all screaming. But Taako knew his twin’s voice better than anyone’s.

  And there she was, phantasmal, but not her usual, resplendent self.

  Taako was still struggling to stand. His body was weak from running for so long, and the crowd of bodies was so close that he could see the tattoo on Lup’s forearm- their tattoo. The bright red umbrella- almost a caricature of a real umbrella. Taako felt his heart sink.

  He was not going to make it back up to his feet.

  Lup reached him first. He couldn’t look at her. Not like this. He couldn’t kill her, either. And so, he lay on his back and let her bite. Taako’s skin felt like it was on fire. He was seeing stars, and his whole body shook as whatever the Hunger was began coursing through him. He felt it burning and he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t kill her. He clawed at his skin, finding no release from the pain.

  Teeth were digging into his arm, right over his tattoo- their tattoo, and he forced himself to focus his vision long enough to see that, to his horror, it was her. As he felt his consciousness start to leave his mind, he kept thinking “ _It’s not her anymore. It’s not her anymore. It’s not her anymore. It’s not her anymore._ ”

  When his eyes opened, Taako couldn’t see for a long time. His vision was clouded, but he could feel it. He was Hungry. He was starving, more accurately. He looked around, peering through the fog, searching for Lup. He still needed her. He looked down, seeing his own tattered skin, teeth marks blistered and infected, disfiguring his bright red umbrella tattoo. He looked back up to see her- his once beautiful sister- looking back at him, no longer like he was a piece of meat. He would have hugged her if he could, but he couldn’t will his limbs to move towards her. He was too Hungry to do anything but hunt for his next meal.

  He could feel his awareness beginning to fade away, but he didn’t feel the need to reclaim it. The Hunger was filling his mind in a way that he did not dislike. Instead of thinking about his sister and how much he needed to find her and save her, he could think about simpler things like his overwhelming need for sustenance.

-

  Taako jolted awake, cold and covered in sweat. He shivered, bringing his hands up to his chest and throat, feeling his face, making sure what he had just dreamt was not real. He looked down at his arm. A red umbrella was still inked onto his forearm. He sighed heavily, muscles relaxing a little. He was not supposed to have fallen asleep. Merle was watching him carefully from a table a few feet away.

  “Are you okay, Taako?” he said softly, careful not to overstep. Taako’s face flushed hot. He knew he was blushing and was thankful for the lack of light in the dining room. “I’m fine, my dude,” he said as casually as possible. “Just a bit of a spooky dream.” Merle frowned. He knew that if he pushed Taako too hard, the man would shut down. He would talk when he was ready to talk.

  “Can I tell you about my family?” Merle said. His voice was fond. Taako could tell it was genuine. The young man shrugged before realizing that Merle likely couldn’t see him in the shadow of the counter. “Go for it, oldie,” he said. He didn’t care much to hear about Merle’s life.

  “There’s really no telling if they’re still human… I haven’t seen them in a long time. My kids live with my ex-wife,” Merle said solemnly. Taako shuddered. The thought of losing his only family- his only sister- was unbearable. Merle continued talking as if it didn’t phase him at all. “My son- Mookie, we call him- was only 6. And Mavis- my wife’s daughter- was 12. Is 12? I don’t know at this point. Mookie was kind of crazy- a real spitfire- always getting into some kind of trouble, and Mavis is really curious and headstrong, just like her mom. She wasn’t my biggest fan, but I love her just the same. Anyway, that was us, before all of this.” He looked out- Taako couldn’t see exactly where his gaze landed, but he was sure it wasn’t in The Shooting Star. For the first time since meeting this man, Taako knew that Merle was far away from this moment.

  “I’m-” Taako was nearly choking on his words. Empathy was not his strong suit.

  “I’m sorry, Merle. Family is… very important.” Merle sighed, shrugging weakly.

  “That’s what’s in Austin for me,” Taako confided. “My sister moved there to help with our restaurant endeavors. She runs The Shooting Star: Austin.” Merle smirked to himself, lucky that Taako could not see him. If he could have, Merle would have gotten a punch or kick to one of his extremities. He was pleased with himself for figuring out Taako’s sensitive point, but if he mentioned it, he’d be in for a bad time with his current company. Merle shifted his weight in the chair, his old joints aching. “You oughta go back to sleep for a while, buddy. We’ve got a long way to go to get to the city, but it’s not light out, yet.” Taako nodded, thinking about Lup again. She had left of her own accord, and he hadn’t seen her in what felt like ten years- though it had only been around ten months. She had lost herself in her work. But Taako was going to find her. And he would never lose her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for your love!! i love you guys' feedback so much!!!!


	3. Flamethrower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lup and Barry escape the downtown area.

  “Come _on_ , babe!” Lup whined, tugging on her boyfriends jacket sleeve. Barry swatted her hand away gently and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He was doing his best to hold his hands steady and Lup’s incessance was making it difficult. Lup sighed, laying with her arms crossed under her chin.

  “Try to be patient, for once, Lup,” Barry pleaded. “If I do this right, we’ll be able to get out of here without any problems.” Lup huffed. She knew Barry was right, but she hated to admit it. Barry smiled, knowing he was right, even though Lup would never say it. She loved to win, and he loved for her to be happy, even if it meant keeping quiet sometimes.

  Barry straightened, spine aching from hunching over for such a long time. He rolled his neck. Lup saw this and took his discomfort as an opportunity to find something to do- massage the muscles in his shoulders. Barry’s smile widened and he closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in his girlfriend’s touch. Her hands were wide and they knew exactly where to go. Barry sighed contently as he opened his eyes again and set back to his task: creating weapons that could get the two of them out of the city.

  Lup had suggested (wildly) that they hijack a car and simply drive through the undead, but Barry had pointed out (not so wildly) that if any Hungry wanderers got under the car, they’d be screwed. Barry had always been the rational one of the pair. Lup was headstrong and fearless, (unless there was a spider involved) but her ideas weren’t usually as well-thought-out as her boyfriend’s. This time, Barry’s best idea had been right up his partner’s alley, however.

  “So, baby, how long is this gonna take now?” Lup asked. Barry chuckled. “Not much longer, darling. I just have to make them portable, at this point.” Lup eyes widened a little and a devilish appeared on her face. Barry smiled. Seeing her so excited made his heart swell. Lup put her hands together, and Barry whined a little at the disappearance of her hands on his shoulders.

  She giggled, practically skipping across the room to sit in the rolling chair. She began absently rotating back and forth a little before propping her feet up on the table and closing her eyes. Barry’s face screwed up in frustration- he hated when she did that- however, he didn’t have the energy to dispute her. He had been awake longer than he would’ve liked, but these backpack-like weapons weren’t going to finish building themselves.

  Behind her closed eyes, Lup was thinking about her brother. She thought about how much she missed him. She hadn’t told him about her hospitalization. She resented this, but Taako had enough to deal with already. Thinking about the night that she’d been attacked made her heart race and her blood boil. Her jaw clenched as she felt the phantom pain between her shoulder blades. She hadn’t felt it immediately. Lup remembered the sensation, even now, months later. She was supposed to go to Georgetown to see Taako the day after it happened. Her brother needed to meet her fiance, after all.

  Lup had been walking home from The Shooting Star- it was a night like any other. It had felt like she’d been punched- hard- in the back. When she’d reached around her body to rub her back, her fingers came back wet with blood, and she began to feel it. She had collapsed, then, the feeling of a knife to her spine driving her to her hands and knees. The man had only taken her engagement ring- the ring that Barry had given her only days before- the large opal ring that glowed like the embers of a phoenix on her finger.

  He had left her there to die. But Lup was a fighter.

  She remembered waking up in a hospital bed. Barry was sleeping in a chair beside her, his glasses a little askew and his mouth lolling open. He had a black eye and his lip was cut and bruising. She had smiled, tried to reach out to him, but the pain in her back would not let her. She saw, heart leaping with joy, that her engagement ring was on her finger again. When Barry woke, he explained that he had been walking to meet her and saw the attack. He nearly killed the man that had hurt his fiance. He’d gotten the life kicked out of him, but he had fought for Lup and saved her life.

  Lup felt guilt creeping up her spine, running over the scar where the knife had pierced her skin and up to her neck, making her hair stand on end. She hadn’t told Taako about it. Thinking about her brother made her miss their home in Georgetown.

  Lup thought of the ugly food truck they had saved up to buy. It was pea green and so small that the twins had barely had enough room to move around in it, but it was theirs. And they had intended to sweep the nation in it, flooring people with their food. They had drunkenly decided to paint “STARBLASTER” on the side of the truck one night. They regretted this decision immensely in the morning, but they had laughed it off and decided to go with it. The twins had dropped everything for their grand plan, but it didn’t pan out the way they had hoped and they were left penniless and on the streets for a year or so afterwards.

  Lup thought about those cold nights, staying as close to each other as physically possible for warmth, sharing clothes and all their possessions, sleeping under bridges and, for a while, a tiny tent made for one person that they would cram into. What little they had, they shared, and it made them even closer than they had already been. And now, thought Lup, we’ve barely spoken in almost a year. She didn’t know what had driven them apart- perhaps just their different locations had made the rift grow.

  Barry cleared his throat, stirring Lup from her daze. He was standing, cartoonish, with one leg slightly bent, one straight out, and both arms gesturing to the giant homemade flamethrowers he had just finished configuring. They consisted of a patchwork wood and metal shelf that would be worn via fabric straps like a backpack, a large plastic container full of a liquid that Lup was not sure of, and a butane hand torch. Barry wiggled his fingers at his creations and said “ta-daaaa!”

  Lup raised her eyebrows.

  “Barold…” she began, voice worried. Barry’s face dropped a little. “ _These are incredible_.” Barry’s smile returned to his face. He was obviously overjoyed that his girlfriend was as excited about them as he was. Lup was grinning, ear to ear. She had always loved playing with fire.

  “So! How do these babies work?” she asked. Barry smiled wider. “You wear this on your back, you hold these-” he gestured to the butane torch and a thin tube that connected to the jug-like container, “and when you pull this trigger-” he demonstrated, “and the torch is on, the gasoline will ignite and catch fire!”

  Lup put her hands together, standing back up. She turned around, her back to Barry now, inviting him to help her get one on. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Bluejeans, don’t do this to meeeee,” she whined, trying to act like she didn’t enjoy the contact. Barry laughed softly. Lup could tell something was bothering him from the way he didn't play along. She spun around quickly to face him and planted a kiss on his forehead.

  “What’s good, hot stuff?” Barry sighed. He furrowed his brow and frowned. Lup lifted his chin with her hand so he’d meet her gaze.

  “What happened to my family, Lup? I don’t know, and I have no way of finding out any time soon,” he said solemnly. “If my parents are still alive, do they think I’m already gone? And what about Taa-” Lup turned her face away abruptly. Barry stopped speaking. He hadn’t meant to say anything about Lup’s brother- he knew how important Taako was to her.

  “I’m sorry, I just-” his voice broke and he took a moment before speaking again.

  “Are you afraid? Of what’s out there?” Lup looked back to the love of her life. “Not when I have you by my side.”

-

  Barry refused to let Lup lead the way. They were carrying everything they had managed to pack from their apartment in two large duffel bags on the front of their chests, and Lup had a messenger bag slung over one shoulder. Barry needed her to be safe, so as they crept out of the university lab entrance, Barry stayed ahead of his girlfriend. Lup had tried to overrule this decision, but Barry was just as stubborn, if not more so, as Lup.

  The night was starting to turn pink as the sun rose over the horizon, and Barry’s hair was starting to glow a little as the light shone through it. Lup giggled to herself when she noticed this. Barry glanced over his shoulder at her, smiling softly back at her. Lup winked, making Barry’s heart do a backflip in his chest.

  The air was cold enough that there was steam coming from the couples mouths as they hurried along. The undead didn’t seem to care much for time of day, but they would be more easily spotted in the daylight.

  The duo flanked the streets of downtown Austin, trying to get away from the center of the city as fast as possible. After nearly two hours, the sun had risen high in the sky, letting its light fall on their shoulders. Barry stopped in his tracks, holding his arm out behind him so that Lup wouldn’t bump into him and make noise. There was a very large crowd of undead a block ahead of them. Lup’s eyes widened. She put on a brave face, but the idea of being attacked and unable to come back from it was her worst fear. Lup was a fighter, but there was no escaping the Hunger. She also knew that Barry would not leave her behind, and that he too would fall prey to the Hunger, and she would rather kill him herself than damn him to a life of ceaseless scavenging. Barry looked back at Lup over his shoulder again and gestured to their homemade flamethrowers. Lup’s eyes narrowed again and she grinned a devious grin.

  She was about to take the city back. She stopped crouching, standing next to her fiance at her full, towering height. Exasperated and fearful, Barry tried to pull her back down, but Lup refused his grasp and stepped around him to stand in front of him. She held her hand torch in one hand and the nozzle of the gasoline tube in the other. Lup lit the torch on the lowest possible flame height and looked back at Barry.

  “Let’s light them the fuck up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for reading! sorry this chapter is a little shorter- i've got big plans for the next one though, so stay tuned!
> 
> follow me on tumblr/twitter @psych0pd


	4. Metro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio finds an unlikely companion.

  When the RV slowed to a stop, Lucretia leaned over and shook Magnus gently. He had dozed off again, his arm draped over Johann’s body, mouth lolling open slightly. He blinked slowly, looking at Lucretia and Davenport- both of whom were now standing, facing him.

 “What’s up?” he said sleepily. Davenport ran a hand through his hair.

  “There’s a bunch of Metro cars stuck on the tracks here, with bodies piled up by the doors. I figure there’s either someone in there using them as a blockade and still alive, or someone died in there protecting their stuff. In which case, the stuff would still be in there. Wanna help check it out?” Magnus stretched, sitting up straighter. “Yeah, I’m game,” he said. Lucretia looked nervous- as usual- but in a way that Magnus could tell she was trying to put on a brave face. Magnus shook his head like a dog drying itself off, trying to wake himself up fully. Lucretia stepped a couple steps back from him so he’d have more room to move when he stood. Johann whined as he stood, missing Magnus’ body heat. Lucretia took a tentative step towards the dog, her hand extended.

  “Is it alright if I touch him?” she asked Magnus. He smiled. “Yeah! He’s not gonna hurt you, don’t worry.” Lucretia smiled a little, and she gently patted Johann’s head. He seemed extremely grateful, and nuzzled his head against her. She chuckled to herself.

  “I’ve never had a dog,” she mused. “My father was extremely allergic- always said ‘No dogs in this house as long as I’m here.’” She was still scratching Johann’s ears.

  Davenport cleared his throat. Lucretia pulled her hand back and whipped around to look at him. “Are we ready to go?” he asked. Magnus unstrapped his gun from his backpack and ruffled Johann’s fur. He stood nearly at attention, now, weapon in hand, and nodded. Davenport rubbed his hands together for a moment, looking around for his axe. Once he’d found it, he opened the door of the RV and stepped out into the sunlight. Magnus and Lucretia followed close behind.

  The metro cars were around thirty feet away, and outside one of them, as Davenport had said, were small piles of corpses. They were leaned against the side of the car, but none were propped on the actual door, so perhaps Davenport had been right about people living in the cars. Davenport motioned to the car furthest from them.

 “Let’s start there and work our way back to the RV,” he said softly.

 “I’ll go to the second one, you two check out the first,” Magnus replied. Lucretia looked hesitant, but seeing Davenport unphased by Magnus’ idea, she nodded gently. Magnus smiled at her reassuringly, partly for her, partly for himself. This wasn’t Julia. Magnus could handle this.

-

 Davenport peered in the window of the first car. He was barely tall enough to do this, and Lucretia quietly looked through from behind him. When they didn’t see any Hungry wanderers inside, Davenport pulled on the door, trying to slide it open. It was jammed. He used the thick part of the axe blade to force it, but it was no good.

 “Go get the crowbar out of the RV,” Lucretia said. “Good idea!” said Davenport, finger up in the air as he turned around to jog back to the camper.

-  
  
 Magnus wanted to avoid getting residue from the bodies on his shoes and clothes as much as possible, so he used the butt of his shotgun to push them over. Magnus was sure there was something inside the car. There were what looked like old shirts and various other articles of clothing covering the windows of this car. If a person was in there, they might have isolated themselves so they wouldn’t hurt others, and if they were still human, Magnus could help them.

 He pulled on the door, expecting more resistance than it gave, and slammed his shoulder against the arch of the doorway. There was a small cry of surprise from within the car, and as Magnus turned, he saw a tall, lanky boy with a long wooden walking stick in his hands. He was holding it straight out in front of him as if it were a sword, but he was shaking, and the staff was a little too long for him to hold steadily.

 “Stay where you are- don’t make any sudden movements or I’ll-” his voice broke and he went quiet, obviously upset that his tough facade had cracked. Magnus slowly raised his hands in surrender.

 “You’re okay, kid, I’m not here to hurt you,” he said softly. The boy’s face softened for a moment, but he kept his brow furrowed and angry. “What do you want?” he asked, voice tense. Magnus took a cursory glance around the car. There was a makeshift bed on the bench furthest from the door, and beside it, there were a few short stacks of books.  
 “I was looking to see if there was anyone in here that needed help,” Magnus said calmly. The boy frowned again. “I don’t need help,” he said. Magnus sighed, but obliged the boy.

 “I’m going to leave, then,” he said. He slowly turned and began walking away when he felt two thin arms wrapping around his waist and the boy’s head at the small of his back. “I’m sorry,” he said in a soft voice. “I shouldn’t have been so rude, sir, I just haven’t seen anyone in so long, and-” his words were lost to Magnus’ shirt as he clung more tightly to the massive man. Magnus lowered his arms and put his hands on the boy’s shoulders. The boy looked up, sniffing and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He looked utterly lost.

 “What’s your name, little dude?” Magnus asked, trying to sound as kind as possible. The boy sniffed again, centering himself.

 “Angus McDonald, sir,” he replied, puffing his chest out a little bit. Magnus smiled.

 “I’m Magnus Burnsides. It’s nice to meet you, Angus.” Angus smiled halfheartedly. “Where are your parents, Ango?”

 The smile on the boy’s face disappeared, and he looked like he might cry. “They’re gone, sir. Taken by the Hunger.” He was nervous, and Magnus knew he’d made a mistake. Magnus had never really been around children. He was much like a child himself, before he joined the army, and the things he’d seen and faced in Iraq had made it hard for him to imagine bringing children of his own into the world.

 The boy shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m okay, I’m okay…” he said, his voice trailing off. He took a step back from Magnus, relinquishing his grasp on his waist. Magnus smiled again, putting his hand on Angus’ shoulder.

 “Would you like to meet my friends?”

- 

 Lucretia could hardly stand the smell. She covered her nose and mouth with her hand as she watched Davenport as he jogged back from the RV, crowbar in hand. He looked exhausted. She regretted having woken him so early, but a swarm of undead had been closing in on the field they’d parked the camper in the night before and she had felt unsafe. Davenport reached her, panting.

 He extended the crowbar to Lucretia, who took it. She jammed it between the door and the wall and used her entire body to try and pry the door open. The crowbar was bending. This door was not coming open. About the time Lucretia stopped trying to open the car door, the door of Magnus’ choice in cars opened and out walked Magnus himself, followed by the much smaller silhouette of Angus McDonald. Davenport rushed to Magnus’ side. He gripped what he could of the massive man’s forearm, pulling him a little away from Angus before turning to face the boy himself.

  “Who are you?” he asked, voice gruff and stern as it was when Magnus first met him. Angus’ face paled. He looked nervously at Magnus, dumbfounded at Davenport’s aggressiveness.

  Magnus stepped up. Davenport was scaring the poor kid. “His name is Angus. And he lost his family to the Hunger. I told him how nice you were when you found me,” he said. Davenport looked over his shoulder at Magnus. He was wary of taking in another person so soon.

 Magnus kept his face steady. This kid couldn’t manage much longer on his own. Davenport knew that to be true, and let his guard down a little. He lowered his shoulders. This boy did not pose any threat as long as he wasn’t infected with the Hunger.

 Davenport sighed. He turned to look at Angus.

 “Sorry, kid. Are you clean? No bites or anything?” Angus shook his head, expression serious. Lucretia stepped forward. She looked Angus up and down. Her dark eyes found his and she smiled. She looked to Davenport, nodded once, and looked back at Angus. He looked more at ease. Magnus crossed the short distance to the boy. When he reached him, he looked to Davenport and put a giant hand on Angus’ shoulder.

 “I’m gonna take him back to the RV,” Magnus announced. Angus looked at Magnus, distressed.

 “Can I bring my things?” he asked.

 “What have you got?”

 Angus looked sheepish, toeing the ground and looking down at his sneakers. “Books, mostly,” he said. “Some stuff from my parents, too,” he said softly.

 Lucretia straightened at the mention of Angus’ books. She looked more interested in the boy, now. “I’ll help you get them,” she said proudly. Angus’ face lit up.

 “Thank you, ma’am!” he said. He looked ecstatic, which made Magnus smile. Davenport frowned. He couldn’t help but think of what other goods might be lying in the rest of the cars, but this boy was more important.

 “I’m Lucy,” Lucretia began as she lead Angus back to the train car.

 “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Lucy! I’m Angus McDonald!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh i love you all!!  
> you can follow me on tumblr @psychopd or twitter @calebtaliesin


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